Zweifel Presented With Quilt of Valor

On March 14, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Alen J. Zweifel was presented with a Quilt of Valor at a ceremony held in the New Glarus Home Chapel. The ceremony was attended by friends and family and made extra special by the fact that Zweifel's grandfather, Alfred Ufken, was able to attend. Zweifel had flown home from Japan for a family visit.
<strong>Chief Warrant Officer 4 Alen J. Zweifel</strong>
Hailing from New Glarus, Wisconsin, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Zweifel graduated from New Glarus High School in May 1997, and immediately enlisted, heading to Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California, in June 1997. Following graduation from recruit training, he attended Marine Combat Training at Camp Pendleton, California, and Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) School Test Measurement Diagnostic Equipment at Keesler Air Force Base Biloxi, Mississippi. Upon attaining the MOS 6492 Precision Measurement Diagnostic Equipment Technician in November 1998, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Zweifel executed orders to Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron (MALS) 39 Camp Pendleton, California, where he served as a calibration technician. During his tour, he conducted an Unit Deployment Program deployment to Okinawa, Japan, and a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) deployment aboard the USS Belleau Wood.
Chief Warrant Officer 4 Zweifel received orders to MALS-11 Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar, California, in November 2001, where he served as a Collateral Duty Inspector (CDI) and issuing and receiving point supervisor for the intermediate maintenance activity calibration laboratory. Chief Warrant Officer 4 Zweifel then transferred to MALS-16 aboard MCAS Miramar in January 2004, and immediately deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). During his tour with MALS-16, he served as Calibration Staff Non-Commissioned Officer In-Charge and Avionics Division Quality Assurance Representative.
In August 2005, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Zweifel reported to Marine Wing Support Squadron 171, MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, depot level calibration facility, where he served as the Technical Director and Quality Assurance Chief. He was subsequently transferred to MALS-12 MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, where he served as the Precision Measurement Diagnostic Equipment Chief. Chief Warrant Officer 4 Zweifel received notification of selection to attend Warrant Officer Basic Course (WOBC) MOS 6302 Avionics Officer in November of 2008, and reported to The Basic School (TBS) in January 2008 and was immediately appointed the rank of Warrant Officer. Upon Completion of TBS WOBC, he attended Aviation Maintenance Officer Course at Whiting Field, Florida.
Chief Warrant Officer 4 Zweifel reported to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 161 in July 2008. Immediately after his arrival, the unit deployed to Iraq in support of OIF conducting combat and medevac flight operations from Al Taqqadum and Al Asad Air Bases. Upon returning from deployment, the squadron conducted a transition from the CH-46E aircraft to the MV-22 aircraft and became Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 161. In November 2009, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Zweifel was transferred to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 466 aboard MCAS Miramar and deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, conducting CH-53E flight operations out of Bastion Air Base. He served as the Avionics Officer, Ordnance Officer, and Administrative Laser Safety Officer for each of these units. During this time, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Zweifel completed the Expeditionary Warfare School Non-Resident Course.
In June 2011, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Zweifel reported to Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242, MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, where he served as Avionics Officer and Administrative Laser Safety Officer for F/A-18C/D aircraft. During his tour he supported multiple unit training deployments and multi-national training exercises throughout the Pacific Theater. In June 2014, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Zweifel graduated from the seminar based Command and Staff Distance Education Program. He transferred to MALS-12 in November of 2014 to serve as the Assistant Avionics Officer and Detachment Officer In-Charge of F/A-18C logistics operations in Singapore.
In May 2015, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Zweifel reported to Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, to serve in a special staff billet with the Pacific Area of Responsibility F-35 Site Activation Task Force. He currently serves as the Avionics and Facilities Officer conducting aviation planning and programming initiatives and sustainment that enabled the forward positioning of the first operational unit of F-35 aircraft overseas. Chief Warrant Officer 4 Zweifel continues to pave the way for operations of the F-35B aircraft platform out of MCAS Iwakuni, and prepares forward operating bases Marine Wing Liaison Kadena Air Force Base, Okinawa, and Anderson Air Force Base, Guam, for upcoming deployed operations.
While serving on active duty, Chief Warrant Officer Zweifel has attained his Associate's Degree in Professional Aeronautics (2010), Bachelor's Degree in Aeronautical Science (2012) and his Master's Degree in Science, Aeronautics (2015) by attending Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He achieved honors in each degree following his studies of aviation operations, safety, management, simulation systems, robotics, aerodynamics, and unmanned systems.
Chief Warrant Officer 4 Zweifel's personal decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with two stars in lieu of third award.
The Quilts of Valor Foundation is a non-profit grassroots group of quilters from all across the US. In 2003, a quilter and blue star mother, Catherine Roberts from New Hampshire, had the idea of comforting veterans with quilts during the time her son was deployed in Iraq. Since then, over 140,000 Quilts of Valor have been awarded here in the United States, Germany, Iraq and Afghanistan. The all-volunteer membership consists of over 10,000 quilters. The mission of the foundation is to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor.